[Sca-cooks] RE: Sca-cooks digest, Vol 1 #1222 - 13 msgs

[Marilyn Traber]

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Well, among other things many kitchen work surfaces are not the right height
to work sitting down, and when you stand certain things [like rolling out
pastry or even kneading dough] where the force is applied from above and can
require a certain amount of force appied which having the weight of the
torso behind makes an incredible difference.

Personally, I actually do a fair amount of work in a sitting position as
with the back damage I have I have trouble doing repetitive jobs like
rolling out pastry at that particular angle...I have a very nice elementary
school library pseudo-medieval trestle table that I use as a working surface
[it has that funky almost-bakelite-rubbery stuff inlaid in the top which
makes a very nice work surface ;-)]

My retirement home [when rob retires in 2 years and builds it for me] is
actually going to have work areas at wheelchair/chair height and standing
non-crip height. I figure I have realistically about 5 to 7 years before I
end up in a chair at my rate of deterioration. It will also have nice tiled
floors and deck drains to make it really easy to clean up spills ;-)
margali


the quote starts here:
> There's a certain angle many cooks tend to lean forward at, which is
> very hard on the back. Standign straight up I can do, and bending down I
> can do, but leaning forward at about ten degrees from vertical, say,
> when cutting onions, I have a problem with... certainly under the
> circumstances, taking a break was a good idea.

Is there a particular reason not to sit in the kitchen? I can see
why you wouldn't want to while at the stove. I tell folks not to
cast pewter while sitting for instance. If that pewter spills or
the pot gets knocked over, it is much better to be able to quickly
move out of the way, rather than having it flow into your lap. But
a fair amount of time in the kitchen seems to be done in a single
spot prepping the food. Is it the kitchen congestion? This kitchen
was fairly well equiped but it was rather small with some rather
tight areas.
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